As E3 proved, fan enthusiasm towards another in Sid Meier's excellent Civilization series is unwavering. Information from that even about Sid's next project continues to trickle out, and it has resulted in new sources of information for those anticipating the game.

Another quick look at Civilization III has recently been posted at Game Revolution. The game will have some updates to both gameplay and graphics, though the designers definitely seem to be trying to keep what has worked in the past. The graphics are, in fact a slight point of controversy, as some gamers feel they look dated. Here's a clip from the preview explaining more:

The gaming industry, like the music industry, has conditioned us to believe that contemporary works should have a certain feel to them, a trendy slickness that Civilization III does not have. Instead, the look of a game whose focus is building things which can endure over time is modeled on Flemish Renaissance art which has remained culturally significant for almost half a millennium. This makes sense to me, but it is interesting to ponder how many critics will pan the graphics because they look "dated."

That look permeates all of the screens in the game. The report screens, which are the most efficient that I have ever seen in a game of this genre, manage to convey a wealth of information quickly without breaking from the Bruegel-esque theme. Long-time Civ players will be particularly pleased with the layout of the "Domestic Advisor" screen. Finally, you will be able to see production, income, resources, and happiness on one screen. The "Foreign Advisor" screen has also been impressively streamlined. Portraits of the various leaders are arranged in a circle. Lines of various colors connect the different leaders and indicate which of several diplomatic states exist between the different governments.

We're sure fans of the series will love Civ III, no matter what the style of the graphics. As proof of this, CivFanatics has recently set up a new area of their site, called the Civilization III Info Center. This very long list of questions and information should get you well acquainted with everything known so far about the title. Definitely head over for a look if you need to find out something about Civ III.

MacSoft is set to publish Civ III to the Mac in a near-simultaneous release sometime late this winter. We'll bring you more info on the game as it nears completion.